Wine Odyssey

March 7, 2014

I always seem to get a lot of requests asking for my advice on nice restaurants to visit for anniversaries and other such occasions. Well last week I got to add another to my list. Wine Odyssey is a chic, romantic wine bar and restaurant located in Hannam-dong. Warm and inviting, it breeds the feeling of romance as soon as you walk in, with the dim lights and plush furnishings. With an extensive wine list it’s the perfect place for oenophiles. They also have live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The perfect ambiance for those looking to go somewhere special.

While I waited a beautiful place was set for me and I was given a whole basket of bread all to myself. The baguette was perfect, real bread for once, with a lovely chewy texture and oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. The menu is large, filled with Spanish and Italian tapas dishes and main courses, with a few Russian favourites thrown in as a nod to its owner.

I really find it hard to choose between things I love. So when I perused the menu and saw they had garlic mushrooms and garlic prawns I really was torn. Luckily for me I am a VIP food blogger and they agreed to let me have a half portion of each. The Setas a la Cazuela (18,000) were so good! Sizzling in the pan when they arrived and doused in a delicious garlic oil that was perfectly flavoured with garlic without being too strong. The mushrooms were so juicy. I kid you not, I wiped the bowl clean. Soaking up all that lovely garlic oil with my bread.

As well as the mushrooms I had my Gambas al Ajillo (18,000). Plump juicy King prawns in a garlic and chili oil. The sauce was so tasty without being hot. The chef told me the flavour comes from a Spanish sweet paprika he brought with him from Spain. A sure fire hit.

Lobster Pasta (35,000) was my main course. It was presented so beautifully I felt I was being spoiled. There were generous chunks of lobster throughout the rich and tasty tomato sauce. Served over spaghetti this was a really nice dish and different from most of the pastas you get in Seoul. Authentic and tasty, you won’t be disappointed if you try this.

To finish up I was treated to a service size tiramisu (8,000). The full sized portion is at least twice the size. Served up in an espresso cup this was the most adorable dessert ever. It was pretty damn tasty too. Smooth and creamy with a delightful coffee sponge without being too strong. The perfect end to a lovely meal.

Wine Odyssey is located at 3F, 273-2 Hannam-dong,Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The restaurant is in Hannam-dong and not that close to a subway station. The closest one is Hangangjin (line 6). You can walk from there in about 10 minutes. The directions are kind of complicated, so just check your smartphone’s map for directions, if I can find it then so can you! Call 070-8959-1198 or check out their facebook page for more details.